Army drone deal: India orders 450 Nagastra-1R units; SDAL touts reusable, precision strike edge

Indian Army places order of 450 NAGASTRA-1R loitering munitions from SDAL (Image credits: ANI)
The Indian Army placed an order with solar defence and aerospace limited, SDAL, for approximately 450 units of its NAGASTRA-1R loitering munitions, the company said in a statement.
The system is designed to be cost-effective and reusable, with launchers that can be deployed multiple times.
The NAGASTRA-1R is equipped with a 360-degree gimbal camera and can optionally include a thermal camera for night-time missions. It features proprietary encryption for both video and telemetry communications and offers high-precision targeting with a circular error probability (CEP) of just 2 metres.
The system boasts over 80% indigenous content and has undergone successful field trials in locations such as Ladakh and Babina near Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
In a separate development, SDAL recently completed trials of its hybrid vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV, Rudrastra, at the Pokharan Firing Range. Conducted according to Indian Army performance parameters, the UAV demonstrated strong operational capabilities, including vertical takeoff and landing, long endurance, and mission flexibility.
The
Rudrastra UAV
achieved a mission radius of over 50 km with a stable real-time video link and returned to its launch point after covering a total range of more than 170 km. It also successfully deployed a precision-guided anti-personnel warhead, which detonated mid-air at low altitude to achieve lethal effect over a wide area.
Earlier, on May 13 and 14, SDAL tested a low-cost hard-kill counter-drone system named 'Bhargavastra' at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur. Designed to tackle drone swarms, the system uses micro-rockets for rapid neutralisation. Trials were conducted under the supervision of senior Army Air Defence (AAD) officials.
Similar systems have been extensively used in recent conflicts, particularly in the Ukraine-Russia war and the Armenia-Azerbaijan skirmishes. The Indian armed forces had previously acquired similar systems from foreign vendors at a significantly higher cost. The Nagastra 1 has an indigenous content of over 75%, reducing dependence on foreign sources.
Developed entirely in India by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), the Nagastra 1 drones can perform GPS-enabled precision strikes with an accuracy of 2 meters and have a range of nearly 30 km.Given the scale of production and the resulting cost reduction, there is a strong potential for exporting the munition to friendly foreign nations seeking similar solutions.
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